Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Aben was found alone after losing his mother.
In this photo, he is being examined by the team after his rescue, still just a baby and in urgent need of care. Small, frightened and vulnerable, he should never have been without her.
Stories like Aben’s are heartbreaking, but they are also a reminder of why long-term conservation matters so much. Our partners, YIARI do far more than rescue orangutans in crisis. They work across rescue, rehabilitation, habitat protection, education and community engagement, tackling the causes of suffering as well as the consequences. That approach is making a real difference. In recent years, the number of orangutans needing rescue has dropped sharply, with annual rescues now staying at a much lower level than in the past. Since 2021, the number needing rescue has remained relatively stable at around three to six individuals a year, reflecting the impact of prevention, awareness and conflict mitigation work.
That is what real protection looks like. Not only being there when an orangutan needs saving, but helping to build a future where fewer and fewer do.
Aben was rescued in a joint operation between BKSDA West Kalimantan and our partners, YIARI.
Aben was found alone after losing his mother.
In this photo, he is being examined by the team after his rescue, still just a baby and in urgent need of care. Small, frightened and vulnerable, he should never have been without her.
Stories like Aben’s are heartbreaking, but they are also a reminder of why long-term conservation matters so much. Our partners, YIARI do far more than rescue orangutans in crisis. They work across rescue, rehabilitation, habitat protection, education and community engagement, tackling the causes of suffering as well as the consequences. That approach is making a real difference. In recent years, the number of orangutans needing rescue has dropped sharply, with annual rescues now staying at a much lower level than in the past. Since 2021, the number needing rescue has remained relatively stable at around three to six individuals a year, reflecting the impact of prevention, awareness and conflict mitigation work.
That is what real protection looks like. Not only being there when an orangutan needs saving, but helping to build a future where fewer and fewer do.
Aben was rescued in a joint operation between BKSDA West Kalimantan and our partners, YIARI.
